This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
As of May 6, 2020, the situation in Nyeri Town was dire, with overflowing solid waste bins and litter scattered all over the streets. Residents pointed fingers at the County Government for its failure in waste management.
Children in many estates were seen playing in the streets, oblivious to the dangers posed by the garbage. The situation was exacerbated by the closure of the main dumping site at Karindundu area on the outskirts of Karatina Town in Mathira Constituency.
The closure followed a standoff between the County Government of Nyeri and Constituency leadership over the existence of the dumpsite. The area leadership, led by MP Rigathi Gachagua, refused to allow further dumping of garbage from the entire county, citing concerns over the site's location in a residential area.
Locals in the constituency welcomed the closure of the dumpsite, citing health concerns. Robert Muriithi, a resident, stated that the effluent flowing from the dumpsite had polluted the Gaicathiri River, the main source of drinking and irrigation water.
Residents called on the County Government to speed up the cleanup exercise and close open sewer lines that had resulted in some suffering broken limbs from falls. They also accused the government of laxity in keeping their environments clean and safe.
As one resident, Rukia Bakari, put it, "Children are even collecting used masks and fitting them thus exposing themselves as well as their entire families to Coronavirus." Another resident, Beatrice Mwangi, stated that the drainage system had been clogged by the waste, causing flood water mixed with garbage to enter homes, exposing residents to biological and chemical hazards.
